Some bar stock, 3 MC-e's and a Maxflex 3

So I spent months trying to work out how I could drive a triple MC-E with my existing 14.8v batteries. I found a couple of possible drivers but all had their problems. In stepped StevelKnivel that assured me I could use a maxflex to drive two parallel strings of 6 die. This would only give each string 600mA, not the 700mA I greedily wanted, but this was the best option by far. Thanks StevelKnivel

This was to start as a simple build using lots of aluminium "flat bar" laminated together to make the light body to house a triple MC-E build. Then it was suggested that a laminated body was not a good heat sink, something about junction temps Thats where it stalled.

Then Troutie offered lots of encouragement and advise. Below is the build details of what followed.

Step 1
Plan what you are building. I used this program http://www.cadlogic.com/products/draftit/
Thanks again Troutie
Sorry but I can't post my drawing. If you want a copy then PM me, but you will need to download the above program

Pinkrobe,
I'm using the standard blade that came on my Metabo compound saw. It is a 210 x 2.8 x 30mm 42T blade. The teeth have a negative rake on them. The important thing to remeber when cutting the aluminium is to not try and take too much at once. The fins are 5mm deep but each groove was cut with about three passes. Its also important to remember to use lots of lube. The blade was regularly sprayed with WD40

Ocean Breathes Salty,
Wrapped with the output, but not so the beam patterns. I used the XR-E XLSL -7090- 247 optics from cutter. It currently has 2 x 8* and a 25* in it. The 8* have very noticeable donuts and have an overall useable beam width almost identical to the 25*. The overall beam is quite wide but I wanted more of a flood pattern because this will primarily be used for night videos with my GoPro cam. I'll reserve final judgement at the moment till its been on trail

SXR-Racer,
Nuh what I needed from the start was one of these Drill clamp.jpg
it made a huge difference to how quickly I was able to drill everything out. Next time though I wouldn't do the perimeter drilling like that, it was a PIA

mdsjack,
new lenses, see my response to Ocean Breathes Salt. The old lenses are the square Ledil ones from Cutter. From memory a SS, Diffused and Medium

Hootsmon,
as kgardnez said, definitely use a tap and die set. I got this Frost setTap n die set.jpg
from Bunnings for about twice the price of what I paid for the individual "taps" I bought, which were the ones I broke.